The Otago Daily Times has obtained copies of the five submissions under the Official Information Act from the Ministry of Fisheries, which show four of the five submitters are against the proposal.
The mataitai, or fishing reserve, would cover all but six specified areas of the Otago Harbour used for commercial purposes.
Commercial groups affected by the proposed mataitai were asked to make submissions to the ministry by April 9.
The mataitai committee and runanga representatives have decided to proceed with the application after reviewing the submissions last week, Otakou runanga manager Hoani Langsbury said.
"There were no surprises for us."
Despite "strong" objections from Westhaven Shellfish Ltd, Southern Clams Ltd, commercial stakeholder PauaMac5 Inc, and the Port Chalmers Fishermen's Co-operative Society Ltd, Mr Langsbury said the application would not be altered.
A letter would be sent to the ministry informing it to proceed with the application, and a decision could be expected by the end of the year.
While several submissions focused on a possible cockle industry in the harbour, Otago Harbour was also home to other fisheries such as oysters, flat fish and salmon. A mataitai would protect Otago Harbour for all residents rather than benefit commercial operators, Mr Langsbury said.
The submission by Golden Bay-based Westhaven Shellfish said the application was "ill conceived" and "potentially quite damaging to the Maori people as a whole".
In his submission, Southern Clams director Roger Belton said the proposal "would prevent people from realising the best value from the sustainable and efficient use of fisheries resources in Otago Harbour".
"Locking up the resource would prevent Dunedin from firmly establishing itself as the `clam capital' of New Zealand . . . The value of this to the region is immeasurable and so too is the value of export dollars to the country."
Mataitai
(Fishing reserve)
• Commercial fishing must cease within the boundaries of the mataitai reserve.
• Does not exclude recreational fishing.
• Neither requires recreational fishers to obtain permits nor prevents non-Maori from fishing.
• Does not prevent access to the area within a mataitai reserve or change restrictions to accessing private property.
SOURCE: MINISTRY OF FISHERIES
